Study shows Actos lowers chance of death from heart attack, stroke

CHICAGO A new study shows that Actos appears to lower a patient’s chance of death, heart attack or stroke, the Associated Press reported. The study also showed, however, that the diabetes drug does carry an increase risk of nonfatal heart failure.

Avandia, another type of diabetes medication has also been said to increase the risk of heart failure as well as heart attacks.  This has led drug advisory panels to call for stronger warnings on the drug’s packaging.  The Food and Drug Administration has not responded to this as of yet, but has required label warnings of heart failure risks for the two drugs.

The research for the Actos’ study was paid for by a grant from Takeda Pharmaceuticals, who is the maker of the drug but had no role in designing the analysis.  These two drugs have been used when older drugs like Metformin lose effectiveness and as new ways of combating diabetes since they entered the market in 1999.